The intended victim of an aborted gunpoint robbery at about 10 p.m. Monday night near 50th and Chestnut decided to chase the suspect, who turned and fired a shot before continuing to flee on foot.

The victim, a 31-year-old male, told police he was walking along the 5000 block of Chestnut when another male put a gun to his back and said, “Give me your money.” When the victim turned, the suspect began walking away, likely because another pedestrian turned onto the block. As the suspect continued walking, the victim shouted that the man was armed and requested that the pedestrian call police. That’s when the suspect, who had a scarf over his face, fired a shot from a small handgun.

The victim continued chasing the suspect and lost sight of him hear 50th and Ludlow, according to a police report.

No injuries were reported.

A reader says she was sitting in her car near 48th and Windsor last night talking on her phone when a group of young males, between the ages of 14-17, came up and tried to open the doors. The incident happened at around 7:45 p.m. Here’s what she writes:

“Tonight, I had a group of 5-6 young males try to break into my car while I WAS IN IT at 48th and Windsor. I was on my iPhone in my car as it was parked for about 20 minutes. They came out of nowhere and three tried to open my doors. I hit my horn and someone else came running and then they ran down to the 48th and Warrington block.”

The woman says she filed a report with the police.

Police couldn’t confirm if it’s the same group of teens suspected in other recent crimes in the area, as the investigation still continues.

As was reported last week, a 53-year-old man was beaten and robbed near Clark Park by a large group of teenagers on January 11. Earlier this month, a woman was robbed by three teens while walking on the 4900 block of Osage Avenue.  Continue Reading

UPDATED (1/25/14, 9:45 a.m.): Two female suspects in the robbery spree have been arrested, 6ABC reports. Police are still looking for the two male suspects.

(1/24/14, 11:41 p.m.): Police are searching for a group of suspects involved in multiple robberies at West and Southwest Philly shops and restaurants, including three Thursday night robberies and attempted robberies at Stacy’s Pizza (4201 Market St), the Garden Court Eatery (4725 Pine St), and Gold Star Pizza (4627 Woodland Ave).

The robbery spree began last week, on January 18, when a group of four young people – two males and two females –  wearing masks robbed the Subway sandwich shop at 56th and Lancaster after pointing a handgun at an employee. The robbery took place around 6 p.m. and police say that all of the suspects are between 17 and 20 years old. They fled the store in a turquoise sedan. Later that night, at around 10:15 p.m., two males robbed Hibachi Grill located at 3000 Island Ave, also at gunpoint.

Police say the other three robberies and robbery attempts took place Thursday night, in the area between Market St and Woodland Ave and 42nd and 48th streets. The first took place at approximately 10:30 p.m. at the Gold Star Pizza restaurant when an unknown male, described as a 20-23 year-old black male with light mustache and a beard, walked into the store and after looking at the menu demanded money from the cashier. When the cashier attempted to alert other employees who were in the back of the store the suspect pulled a handgun. The cashier told the suspect that she didn’t have any money and the man fled the store, according to police.

The second incident happened about 15 minutes later at the Garden Court Eatery when a man fitting the above mentioned description, walked into the store pointing a gun at a female employee and demanding money. The employee started screaming and the suspect fled the store.

The third incident, at Stacy’s Pizza, took place at around 11:20 p.m. and this time two robbers were able to escape with an unknown amount of cash after pointing a gun at the cashier and forcing her to open the cash register. The robbers fled in a red Jeep Cherokee with tinted windows.

Police have released surveillance video of the incidents and ask anyone with information about these individuals to contact Southwest Detectives Division at 215-686-3183/3184 or call 911 immediately if you see them.

Just last week we published a story about a community activist being attacked by two robbers on bikes in the Cedar Park area and now we want to alert neighbors about a similar incident on Monday. A reader who asked not to be identified reported an attempted robbery that took place Monday night, at 9:10 p.m., at 50^th and Warrington:

“I was walking home alone from the trolley when a young man, who had ridden past me twice already on his bike, rode past again when I turned a corner that was more isolated, and accelerated on his bike, and grabbed my purse as he went by my left side. He did not get it and eventually let go, and kept riding.”

The reader, a female, filed a police report immediately after the incident. She believes that the suspect was scoping the 34 trolley for victims like herself.